A Huge Favor
by Bones62442fbi-rlh
Summary: Booth is on a 2 week break with his son, when he gets a call from Cullen, telling him he is needed. Booth doesn't know what to do about Parker, and with his ex out of town, and a sudden loss of babysitters so close to Thanksgiving... what's he going to do
1. Needing a favor

"Look at my picture, Daddy!" the excited five year old waved a piece of paper in front of his father's face. Grinning, Booth took the colorfully crayola-crayoned drawing from his son and looked at it. Through the messy toddler proportions, he could tell it was supposed to be a person, with colorful shaped swirls around what he presumed to be the feet.

"That's awesome, Parker," Booth said handing the drawing back to his son. He and parker sat at the kitchen table with a stack of white paper, and a box of crayons that, once full, now held one cracked-in-half red, while all the others were strewn about over the table and some on the floor.

"Daddy, guess who it is," Parker insisted, again waving the paper around in the air.

"Is it you?" Booth guessed.

"Nope," Parker shook his head. "It's you, Daddy!"

"Oh! I see now!" Booth picked up his son and sat him on his lap. "Just once question, bud; what are those?" He pointed to the colorful swirls around the end of what he was still assuming the legs.

"Those are your socks," Parker said.

Booth grinned at his son and shook his head. "They're great, Parker," he said as Parker slid off his lap and back over to his seat where he started on a new drawing. Booth looked at his own paper which consisted mostly of multi-colored spirals. Booth hadn't used crayons since he was about seven, which was probably because last time he had used them, he swallowed an orange one. He didn't remember exactly _how_ he managed to swallow a crayon; he just remembered being rushed into the doctor's office after nearly choking to death on it. Booth noticed there was no orange on his paper.

His cell phone ringing broke his train of thought. He took it out of his pocked and looked at who was calling him. He groaned inwardly to see that it was his boss. Booth was supposed to have two weeks off, what could Cullen_ possibly _want?

"Booth," he answered automatically.

"Hello Booth? It's Cullen," the voice on the other end said.

'No kidding,' Booth was tempted to say, but instead said, "Hello sir, how are you?"

"I would be better if I didn't need to make this call."

"I'm sure I would be too," Booth muttered.

"Sorry?

"Nothing."

"Right, well anyway, I know these two weeks you're supposed to have off, Booth," Cullen continued, "but we're currently short an agent that we really need to help with a certain case."

"You're _short _an agent?" Booth asked in disbelief. "There's no one else there?"

"No one else with the proper requirements," Cullen said. "We really need you to come in just for two days to go with Jackson over to New Jersey."

"Sir," Booth protested. "Sir, my son is with me for two weeks. Rebecca is out of town-"

"Look, Booth," Cullen said, and Booth could hear the annoyance in his voice. "I understand this is last minute and inconvenient, but we really need you for this, and unless you can find someone to look after your son, someone will be provided for you. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Booth said bitterly into his phone.

"You'll get a little extra pay for coming during your time off," Cullen added and it took a lot of resistance not to say, "You bet your ass you're paying me," and hung up after Cullen did.

If it weren't for Parker in the room, Booth would have loved nothing more than to direct a few carefully chosen swear words at the phone. However upon a closer look at Parker, Booth noticed that he had fallen asleep in his chair with his head in his arms folded over the table.

Walking over to his son and lifting him gently, Booth carried Parker out of the kitchen and down the hall to Parker's bedroom, where he laid him carefully on his bed. Quietly closing the door, Booth made his way back to his phone and got out a book of baby sitters names. Rebecca was on vacation with her boyfriend, Drew, and there was no way she was coming back from Aruba or wherever the hell she was in a few hours. Booth picked up the phone again and began dialing.

--------------------

One hour and seventeen phone calls later, Booth sat on his couch, completely frustrated and tired. He couldn't believe that out of _seventeen _baby sitters, not _one_ was available. It was getting close to Thanksgiving, but it was still a good week and a half away. This was ridiculous, and there was no way that he was going to let the FBI provide him with a baby sitter.

Booth snorted, "Please," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "I'd rather leave Parker with _Bones _for a week than some guy Cullen picks out."

A minute later, Booth's head snapped up, an eye brow rose. Now that is something he never though he'd ever consider. Then again he never thought he would ever become as good friends as they were. He trusted her, and she was his last hope… but would she agree?

Picking up the phone again, Booth pressed speed-dial 2 and waited as the phone rang.

"Hi," Brennan's voice answered.

"Hey, Bones," Booth said, then added lamely, "it's me."

"I know," she said. "The phone shows your name, which is why I answered casually."

"Right," Booth rolled his eyes. "Listen, Bones, could I ask you a _huge _favor?"

"I suppose so," she said, and Booth could hear some noise in the background.

"Are you at the lab on a Sunday?"

"No, I'm home," said Brennan. "And that's not a favor you just asked."

"I know, but what's the noise I hear?"

"That's a TV, Booth."

"You have a TV?" asked Booth, surprised. "Since when?"

"Since…." Brennan trailed off, and Booth waited for her to continue. "Well I used to have one, but then it broke. Then you have been telling me how I need to watch all these movies, so I suppose I-" she was rambling and cut off by Booth laughing.

"No need to get defensive," he laughed. "And since when do you take my advice? On those kinds of things, anyway..."

"Didn't you want to ask me a favor?" Brennan ignored his previous question.

"Oh yeah," Booth remembered why he called in the first place. "Um… as I told you Parker is spending time over here because Rebecca and Drew went to... somewhere for a vacation, and Cullen just called me needing me for something urgent, I guess. And I can't take Parker with me, and I can't find any baby sitter, and I don't trust Cullen to chose someone," Booth realized he was starting to ramble now, "So I was just wondering if maybe you would watch him for a day or two?"

There was silence on the other end. Booth gave her a minute. She still didn't respond. "Bones, you still there?"

"I'm here," she said. "You want me to look after your five year old son?"

"Yes."

"For two days?"

"Yes."

"By myself?"

"Yes."

"A child? _Your _child?"

"Yes."

"Are you drunk?"

"Yes-what? No!" Booth quickly corrected his answer. "C'mon, Bones."

"You trust me more than you'd trust someone Cullen picks for you?" she sounded skeptical.

"Yes, I do," Booth insisted. "Please?" He added a little desperately, and hearing her sigh, he knew he had won. He waited patiently for her response.

"Fine, I'll watch him," Brennan said a little reluctantly, "but only as a favor to you and because I know you'd do it for me."

"Thank you so much, Bones!" Booth said gratefully. "I was getting desperate."

"I could tell," Brennan smiled at the relief in her partner's voice. "So, when do you need me to start watching him?"

"Um… do you think I could drop him off in the morning?"

"That's fine. What time?"

"I dunno, maybe nine?"

"Sure."

"Thank you so much," Booth repeated. "I really owe you one, Bones."

"Yes you do," she agreed. "You better be extra nice to me."

"I could kiss you!"

"Not _that _nice."


	2. A Day With His Son

**Hey peoples! I'm glad I finally got up the second chapter. Sometimes I go through periods when I'm a fast writer, and sometimes I go through periods when I'm a slow and picky writer. Right now I'm inbetween, which is why the time between my posting chapters is going to be probably a little inconsistant. But I'll do what I can! **

**Enjoy!**

**--**

It was nine fifteen the next morning, and Brennan was sitting on her couch nervously. She had never watched a child by herself before, let alone the child of a really good friend, this meant that it would be ten times worse if she did something stupid like got the kid's head caught on fire. Well now that was a bad thought…she dearly hoped that maternal instincts would kick in once she started looking after one of her best friend's child.

She heard a knock on the door and got up to answer. She could hear Booth's voice on the other side. Opening the door, she saw that Parker was standing next to Booth holding a big black dog stuffed animal, while Booth carried a small duffle bag.

"Hi," he greeted her. "Sorry we're later than I said we'd be. Parker thought it was funny to hide the keys in his socks and make me look for them."

"That's alright," Brennan said. "Come in."

Booth and Parker came into her apartment. She shut the door as Booth put Parker's bag next to the couch. Turning to Brennan, he gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for this, Bones."

"You're welcome," Brennan said, also giving him a smile. Booth turned back to his son who was still hugging his giant stuffed dog.

"Okay, Parker, remember what we talked about-"

"-I _know_, Daddy!" Parker interrupted his father. "I'll be good!"

"Hey, that was rude. You don't interrupt people when they're talking," Booth scolded his son who gave him what was unmistakably a charm smile; the same one Brennan caught Booth trying to use on her every once in a while. She couldn't help but laugh. Booth looked at her with a confused expression.

"He is definitely your son, Booth," Brennan laughed. "He has the same adorable charm smile that you have."

Booth stood up, a slight smirk playing on his face, clearly amused at what Brennan didn't seem to realize she had just said.

"_Adorable _charm smile?" Booth repeated, and with great satisfaction noted the sudden realization that spread across his partner's face, along with slight embarrassment.

"Well on him, immature on you," Brennan covered with a lie, and Booth snorted rolling his eyes.

"Alright, buddy, I gotta go," Booth gave Parker a hug. "Be good for Dr. Brennan."

"I will," Parker assured him.

"Thanks again, Bones," Booth said again and she walked with him to the door. "If there are any problems, call me."

"I will," she said and her nervousness must have been obvious to him because he gave her hand a squeeze and said, "You'll be fine," before leaving, and she watched him drive away with a last wave before shutting the door. She turned back to Parker who was now sitting on the couch swinging his legs. She went and sat down next to him.

"That's a big dog," she commented, pointing at his big black stuffed dog.

"Daddy got him for me," Parker said. "Do you wanna hold him?"

"Sure," she said as Parker handed her the dog. "Does he have a name?"

"His name is Padfoot," Parker said proudly, "from _Harry Potter_. Daddy read me the books. Have you ever read them?"

"I read the first two books," said Brennan. "But I haven't read the other ones. I've been very busy."

"You catch the bad guys with my daddy."

"That's right."

Parker smiled at her as she handed back Padfoot. He put the dog's mouth up by his ear as if he was being told a secret. "Padfoot says he likes you."

"Well I like Padfoot too," Brennan smiled. "You want to go get a snack, Parker?"

"Yeah!" Parker said and followed her into the kitchen. _Maybe this won't be so difficult after all,_ Brennan though.

--

"My friend Danny said that he jumps off the swing while it's still moving," Parker said as Brennan gave him a final push on the swing. After a morning of making pancakes with smiley faces and four games of Candyland, the unlikely pair decided to go to the park down the street. The chilly air blew the red and yellow leaves around Brennan's feet while she watched the energetic child swinging back and fourth.

"I don't think you should try that, Parker," she warned him. "That sounds dangerous."

"Oh, I won't," Parker said over the _whoosh _of the swing. "Danny's mom told him not to, but Danny was bad and did anyway. He hurt his ankle. Now he has a cast and a really long time-out this weekend."

"My brother and I used to have contests jumping off swings in the park by our house when I was about ten," Brennan remembered.

"You have a brother?" asked Parker. "That's cool."

"He's pretty cool," Brennan agreed. "We used to have lots of competitions."

"Like what?" Parker started to slow down on his swing as he listened to Brennan's story.

"Silly little things, like who could hold their breath long underwater, who could run across the field faster, who could jump rope longer…" Parker lowered himself off his swing. "What do you want to do now?"

"Wanna watch a movie? It's cold outside."

"That sounds good," Brennan said. "We could order a pizza for dinner and rent a movie. Do you like that idea?"

"Cheese pizza!" Parker said excitedly.

Brennan laughed and took him by the hand as they walked down the street to the video rental store.

Brennan had never been inside the video rental store and was immediately overwhelmed by the walls of videos and DVDs lining the perimeter of the store. Parker seemed to be right at home as he lead them both over to the children's section. He craned his neck back to get a better look at the movies higher up on the shelves. Seeing him try his very best to stand on his tip-toes, Brennan took pity on the five-year-old.

"Want a lift up so you can see better?" she offered.

"Yes please," Parker said politely, and Brennan hoisted him up and let him sit resting on her hip as he scanned the shelves.

"Oh! _Finding Nemo_!" Parker said and reached toward the DVD, taking it off the shelf. "Have you seen it?"

"No," Brennan said. "Is it good?"

"It's really funny! Can we get this one?"

"Of course," she said. "Want to pick out another one too?"

"Two movies?" Parker's big brown eyes widened and Brennan couldn't help the laugh that came out at his adorable face.

"Why not?" she said. "We probably won't watch them both tonight, so we can save one for tomorrow."

"Okay!" Parker's eyes roamed over the shelf again before finding the next movie. "_The Incredibles_," he chose and Brennan took the DVD.

"Let's go pay for these," she said and put Parker back down so they could go to the register.

"I'll carry them," Parker offered reaching for the plastic bag with the two DVDs.

"Thank you," Brennan handed him the bag and helped him zip up his jacked before heading back out into the crisp November air.

--

"Why does Daddy call you 'Bones'?" Parker asked Brennan while they walked down the side walk back to her apartment. Parker was swinging the plastic bag while Brennan carried a large box of cheese pizza which helped keep her hands warm.

"That's because I'm an anthropologist," seeing his confused face, she added, "that means I work with bones."

"So Bones isn't your first name?"

"No," Brennan smiled shaking her head, "just a nick-name."

"Does anyone else call you Bones?"

"No," she said again, and for some reason found that her smile was now because of this thought. "No, just a nick-name your dad likes."

"Do you like it?"

"I didn't use to," she said truthfully. "But I've grown to like it."

"What's your first name?" Parker asked curiously, he seemed to be fascinated by the anthropologist.

"Temperance."

"That's a long name," Parker said. "But it's pretty."

"Thanks, Parker."

Back in the apartment, Brennan placed the pizza box on the kitchen table. Parker put the DVDs on the couch then continued to follow Brennan to the kitchen. She helped him unzip his jacket, take off his had and gloves, and then untie his sneakers.

"Thank you Dr. Bones," he said to her after she helped him, and then gave her an identical-to-his-father smile.

"You're welcome," Brennan said with a laugh. "Now we'll just wash our hands from being out side then we can eat while watching a movie."

"We can eat and watch TV at the same time?" Parker asked her.

"I don't see why not," said Brennan.

"Daddy never lets me eat dinner and watch TV," he told her. "He always says that we have to eat dinner at the table."

"Well your daddy isn't here, is he?" Brennan gave him a mischievous smile that made him giggle. "And this is pizza-fun-night. We can even jump on my bed if we're careful not to fall off."

The look of awe on the little boy's face made her smile widen. It was just then that her phone rang. She reached across the counter to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bones," it was Booth. "Why isn't your cell on?"

"We just got back and I turned it off to charge."

"Oh, well how's it going?"

"Pretty well, want to talk to Parker?"

"Please."

"It's your dad," Brennan handed Parker the phone who took it excitedly.

"Hi Daddy!" he said. "Guess what? Tempie is allowing us to watch a movie while eating dinner! …. Yep, we're having lotsa fun, we went to the park today…. I am… okay… love you too, Daddy." He handed the phone back to Brennan.

"Why don't you go wash your hands, Parker," she said to him before turning her attention back to Booth. "So how's it going?"

"Boring," Booth replied. "How about you guys, _Tempie_?" she could hear the teasing tone in his voice.

"Shut up," she said, rolling her eyes. "We're having a good time. Parker is a great kid. He's very polite too."

"Thanks," said Booth. "See, I told you you'd be fine."

"I know, you were right," she waited for his response, when it didn't come she said, "Booth?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. It's just I don't get to hear that coming from you very often, so I like to let it soak in before you go ahead and pull it back."

"Yes, well I need to give you a little bit of confidence every once in a while," she teased. "I don't want to over-inflate your ego to the point where your head ways you down."

"Ouch, Bones," he pretended to be hurt. "Have you been taking lessons to insult people from Angela?"

"Nope, I stole your _Insults for Dummies_ book," Brennan said. "I guess you need that back now."

"Wow, you're on a role," Booth laughed. "I probably should let you go before you use them all up in this conversation."

"Shut up," she said again also laughing.

"Alright, I really do have to go," he said, sorry to stop talking with her. "But I'll probably be back late tomorrow night around 10."

"You're going to pick him up at 10 tomorrow night?" Brennan asked, sounding a little disappointed.

"I suppose so."

"I guess I can put a key under the door mat."

"Okay, thanks, Bones," he said. "I've got to go. Bye."

"Bye."

**Thanks to Bren76 for the catch on Parker's eye color! I can have such stupid moments sometimes. **


	3. A Sweet Kid

The light from the TV screen lit up the room and the people's face in it. The little boy's head rested comfortably on Brennan's lap. Brennan, to her surprise, was thoroughly enjoying herself. It had been a long time since she had sat down and watched a movie for fun, and it was dawning on her how much she missed that part of life. She laughed along with Parker, who was now starting to look like he was about to fall asleep.

"Tired?" she asked him when the movie ended.

"No," he lied. "I want to watch the other one too!"

Brennan laughed. "Parker, it's nine thirty, we can watch _The Incredibles _tomorrow. Plus, I'm sleepy too."

"Okay," Parker agreed lifting his head from Brennan's lap. Brennan took him to the guest room and pulled down the covers of the bed as he yawned.

"See, aren't you glad you had your teeth brushed and pajamas on before the movie instead of doing it now?"

"Yep," Parker said climbing into bed. Brennan handed him Padfoot before pulling up the covers to his chin.

"You know where my room is if you need anything," said Brennan.

"Yep," Parker said again. "Thanks."

Brennan kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Good night, Parker."

"G'night, Tempie."

Brennan turned out the light and shut the door so there was at least and inch left open. She tidied up the room where she and Parker had watched the movie, threw away the empty pizza box, put the plates and cups in the dishwasher, and then made her way to her room.

She put on a pair of sweat pants and her favorite light blue soft t-shirt that said 'FBI' in small black letters on the side in front. It wasn't exactly _her _shirt, but she wasn't planning on giving back to Booth now that it had become her favorite hanging-around-the-house shirt. She couldn't suppress the small smile that formed when she remembered how the shirt came to her into her possession…

_Brennan was comfortably situated on a picnic blanket, laying back with her eyes closed, listening to the laughing and bickering of little kids running around the lighthouse park while the hot fourth of July air, accompanied by the close to nonexistent breeze off the water, drifted along._

_"Isn't this relaxing?" Angela asked from next to her, also with her eyes closed and with almost identical sunglasses to the ones Brennan was wearing._

_"Mmm hmm," Brennan lazily agreed. "So are we just going to sit here all day until the fireworks start in the evening?"_

_"That's the idea," Angela said. "And after that huge picnic I think I could just sleep here until then."_

_"Me too," Brennan laughed lightly. "I don't think I've ever been so unproductive."_

_"Welcome to a normal life, sweetie," Angela said with a smile. _

_"You girls are so lazy!" Booth's voice drifted from overhead._

_"And you have way too much energy," responded Angela. "How's football going?"_

_"Not good, Zack got hit in the head with the ball."_

_"Hodgins threw it at me," Zack's voice said._

_"You could've caught it," defended Hodgins. "I mean come on, man; it wasn't exactly a tough throw."_

_"The sun was in my eyes," mumbled Zack. _

_"So anyway," Booth interrupted the little argument. "Why don't you girls come and join us?"_

_"No thanks," Brennan said. "I'm quite comfortable."_

_Booth sighed and bent down over Brennan and took off her sunglasses. Brennan blinked and opened her eyes, squinting, to see that Booth had put them on._

_"I'll just take these then, since you're practically sleeping anyway."_

_Angela had now sat up and grinned at Booth. "The little rhinestones suite you, Booth," she said._

_Booth shrugged._

_"Give them back, Booth," Brennan said, also sitting up._

_"No, I don't feel like it," Booth started walking off. "Thanks for the glasses, Bones!"_

_"Booth!" Brennan shouted after him. "Give me my sunglasses!"_

_"Come and get them!" Booth shouted back. _

_"I really don't want to do this," Brennan muttered as she stood up and went after him, Angela, Hodgins, and Zack watching closely. _

_Booth grinned; finally she got up and was coming after him. He decided to have some fun and run a little more, he ran down to the dock, before realizing that was a bad idea because that pretty much trapped him, and she was gaining on him. _

_Brennan caught up, he was standing on the edge of the dock. "Are you going to give those back now?" _

_"Fine," Booth took off the sunglasses and handed them to her. _

_"Thank you," she said and gave him a small shove, a shove that was enough to push him off balance as he went toppling backwards towards the water as she intended. However she did not intend for him to grab her arm so she went with him._

_Angela burst out laughing as she saw Booth grab Brennan's arm as he fell back and they both went under with a big splash. Brennan resurfaced a few second before Booth and splashed him as he came up._

_"Booth!" she yelled, but was grinning. "What the hell was that for?!"_

_"I go down, you come too," he said, wiping the water from his eyes. "Come on, it was fun." He climbed up onto the dock and reached down a hand to her and pulled her out of the water. _

_"Maybe, but now I'm soaked," this was an obvious statement as her jean shorts and red t-shirt were now clinging to her and dripping, her hair which had been up in a ponytail was now almost completely out, with wet strands around her face. He was pretty much in the same boat though. _

_"Well now we're cooled off," he said. "What's the matter?" Brennan was hopping slightly._

_"The wood is hot," she said. "I'm not wearing shoes."_

_Booth looked down. While his sandals were still strapped securely on his feet, she had run after him barefoot. "Hop on," he said bending down and offering her a piggy back. To his surprise, she didn't even try to resist as she did just that. He walked back up to their picnic blanket with her on his back. _

_"That was hilarious!" Angela laughed as they reached the blanket. "I wish I had a video camera. Oh well, this digital one will just have to do." And with that she snapped a picture._

_"Thanks a lot," Booth said sarcastically. "We're going to go change into dry clothes, we'll be back." He let go of Brennan's legs so he could put her down, but she just clung on to him._

_"You're warm," she said shortly. "And you're strong, so you can carry me back to your car if you don't mind."_

_Booth rolled his eyes. "Alright."_

_Booth opened the car door and turned around to let her slide off his back and on to the seat before going around to his own side and starting the car. Brennan shot him a look as they turned down a street heading towards his apartment._

_"Where are we going?" she asked him._

_"My apartment's closer," he said. "Plus, you pushed __**me**__ in the water, remember?"_

_"Yes, because __**you**__ stole my sunglasses," Brennan reminded him as he parked the car at his apartment. _

_He opened up the door for her. "Come on, you can come in to my place and I'll get you a towel before we head over to your apartment." _

_Brennan followed him in and wrapped herself in a towel that he gave her as he went to change. She didn't feel like just waiting, though, so she went into his room and opened up a drawer that she saw him take a shirt out of. Fishing through it, she found a big soft blue t-shirt that had 'FBI' written on the side in the front. Making sure he was still in the bathroom, she quickly changed out of her wet shirt and put this one on instead, then put her wet hair up into a ponytail. _

_Booth came out of the bathroom and found her standing by the door waiting. "Is that my shirt?" he said looking at the dry shirt she was now wearing._

_"Yep," she said. "Mine now, though."_

A soft noise in the dark room made Brennan sit up in bed. Squinting in the darkness she saw the outline of a small figure. "Parker?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes?" Parker's tired voice answered.

Brennan switched on the lamp on her nightstand and saw parker hugging Padfoot standing at the foot of her bed. "What's the matter?"

"I had a bad dream," he said, then added, "so did Padfoot."

"Oh," Brennan tried to think of what she should do. What did her parents used to do when she had a bad dream? She thought for a second. "Do you want to come up on my bed?"

Parker nodded and jumped up on the bed and scooted towards her. "Thanks," he mumbled against his stuffed animal.

"No problem," Brennan said softly as she switched off the light and the little boy snuggled against her. She lay back down and gently rubbed his back as she felt his breathing calm until she knew he had fallen asleep. _He really is a sweet kid, _she thought before allowing herself to fall back asleep.

--------------------

**I'm so sorry it's taken me sooooo long to update. Sometimes I'm a slow writer and sometimes I'm fast. Lately I've been slow. I'm also on vacation right now, so hopefully I'll be able to get some more up soon. And hopefully I'll get up longer chapters. **

**I also loooove reviews smiles sweetly**


	4. Day 2 With Parker

Brennan woke the next morning alone in the bed and peering around confused. It took her a moment to realize that Parker wasn't there. The digital clock on the bedside table flashed red numbers 9:14. Allowing a few more seconds of laziness, Brennan swung her legs over her bed and shuffled slowly into the living room from where she could hear a faint noise.

Sure enough, Parker sat on the couch, legs crossed, staring fixedly at the television screen that was displaying a variety of colorful cartoon characters in what looked like an underwater themed show.

"Have a good sleep?" Brennan asked when the show went to commercial.

Parker turned his head and smiled at Brennan. "Yeah," he said. "Your bed is comfy. Thanks for letting me sleep in it."

"You're welcome," Brennan walked to the kitchen and Parker, after turning off the television, followed her.

"You hungry?"

"Yep," Parker hoisted himself up onto a stool and watched Brennan turn on the coffee maker.

"Well," she poured coffee beans, "we can either have cereal, toast, basic things, or we can make pancakes."

The boy's face lit up. "Pancakes?"

"I take it you like that idea?" Brennan smiled at his enthusiasm.

"I like pancakes!" Parker nodded. "Can I help make them?"

"Sure," she went to the cupboard and got out the supplies needed. "Do you want to carefully get out the eggs from the refrigerator?"

"Okay," Parker lowered himself down from the stool and tottered over to the refrigerator. He opened it and looked around for a minute, then stood on his toes reaching up to the egg carton while Brennan got out the flour and other ingredients.

"Thank you," she said when he put the carton next to her on the counter.

"'Welcome," he chirped. "I like making pancakes."

"Do you?" she asked, searching for a measuring cup.

"Yep," Parker said. "Daddy's a good cook. Has he ever made food for you?"

"Um…" Brennan tried to think while looking for a pan. "I don't think I've ever had a meal of his before, but we're made small things together."

"You'll have to come over some time when I'm with Daddy and he can cook us one of his meals!" Parker said excitedly. "Then we could all play together after!"

"That would be fun," Brennan laughed, now pouring flour. "But you'd have to check if it's okay with your daddy first," she tapped his nose teasingly with a finger of flour. "You want to crack and egg?"

"Yeah!" Parker giggled, wiping the flour off his nose and taking an egg out of the carton, carefully breaking the shell over the bowl Brennan had handed to him. "And I think Daddy wouldn't mind you coming over."

"Well that's good."

"Yep," Parker was concentrating on not letting any shells get into the bowl. "Daddy likes you; he'd want you to come."

Brennan almost missed the glass measuring sup she started to pour the milk into. "What?" she asked quickly.

"Daddy likes you," Parker said this like he was discussing favorite colors. "He says that you're very smart and nice and pretty."

"He told you that?" Brennan questioned, the open jug of milk in her hand, temporarily forgotten.

"Mmm hmm."

"When did he say that?"

Parker looked up from his bowl, tossing the egg shell into the sink and thinking for a moment, recalling what had happened…

_About a week or two earlier, Parker Booth sat on the sofa in his father's apartment, resting his head on his father's arm. Booth was reading Parker a story while Parker did his best to read along and look at the pictures. Booth had been less than thrilled to read parker __Cinderella__, but the boy had missed the end of the book which had been read during school, and finished on Thursday when he had a dentist appointment. Booth had reluctantly checked the book out of the library to finish reading to Parker who wasn't as upset anymore._

_"I like that story," Parker said after Booth had finished reading and closed the book. "I like Cinderella."_

_"Do you, bud?" Booth said, smiling at his son._

_ "Don't you?" asked Parker. "Would you marry a lady like Cinderella?"_

_Booth looked slightly startled. "I don't know, Parker. It depends on certain aspects…"_

_"What kind of 'spects?" Parker wondered._

_Booth sighed. "I dunno, Park," he repeated. "I guess I would like for the girl to be kind, good to you, smart, funny, and pretty would be a nice bonus-"_

_"- like Bones!" Parker interrupted before Booth could go on._

_Booth grinned and ruffled his son's hair. "Yeah, bud, like Bones."_

"Are you gonna pour the milk, Tempie?" Parker asked Brennan who still stood with the open jug of milk after Parker's story.

"Huh? Oh, yes," Brennan poured the milk into her measuring cup, smiling slightly at this new information, sure it was truthful but didn't mean anything, except for an answer to a five-year-old boy's inquisitive questioning.

"Do you like Daddy, Tempie?" apparently the interview wasn't done yet.

Brennan looked at him. "I… yes, Parker. Your Daddy and I are very close friends."

This seemed to satisfy Parker and he dropped the subject and went on mixing the ingredients with the eggs while Brennan turned on the stove to allow the pan to heat up.

--------------------

Brennan and Parker had a fun and slightly sticky breakfast. The pancakes turned out quite good and the two had a good time making faces and various characters with blueberries, bananas, raspberries, chocolate chips, and syrup. It made a mess, but was well worth the fun. Brennan ran Parker a bath while she tidied up the kitchen. She put lots of bubbles in the tub and told him to call her once he was situated in the tub. She knew enough about taking care of children to know not to leave a small one alone in a bathtub.

"What are we gonna do today?" Parker asked once the kitchen was clean and both had a bath/shower.

"That's up to you," Brennan said. "We could go to the park again, play games here, your dad brought over you Play Station."

"Can we play here then go to the park again?"

"We can do that."

"Wanna play Play Station?"

Brennan looked warily at the box. "Alright, but you'll have to teach me."

"Okay!"

--------------------

Temperance Brennan learned something about herself while playing Play Station with parker: she stunk at it. Had she not been playing solely for Parker's amusement she might have chucked the black plastic box out the window in frustration. Instead, she tried to enjoy how happy it made Parker when he won a car race or found the hidden treasure first. Parker also seemed to take pleasure in _teaching _the "smartest lady in the world" how to work the PS2 controllers.

"I think I need a break, Parker," Brennan said putting down the control after being beaten for the twentieth time. "My thumbs feel like they're going to fall off."

"I'll turn it off," Parker said and did so.

"Would you like to go to the park now?"

"Yeah," he stood up and stretched.

"Why don't you go put on some socks and I'll get your coat and sneakers," Brenna suggested, also standing up.

"'Kay," Parker hurried off.

--------------------

"You can swing too, Tempie," Parker said as he pumped his legs, gaining height as he swung.

Brennan sat on the swing next to him and allowed herself to rock back and forth from the cool wind. "I'll just sit on the swing."

"If you want," Parker said as he went higher.

"Please be careful though, Parker," she said, watching him reach about the maximum height that could be reached with the swing.

"I know," Parker said, but lowered the height a little much to Brennan's relief. "Do you and Daddy spend lotsa time together?"

Brennan smiled and sighed, getting ready for another round of questioning. "Yes, we work together a lot. Our jobs keep us very busy, and we're lucky we get to do it together."

"Do you guys hang out outside work?" Parker asked, surely not intending to make it seem like a big deal or interrogation.

"I suppose we do," Brennan considered. "Yes, we have become best friends outside work."

"My friends Danny says that girls and boys don't play together because girls have cooties," Parker said. "Is he right?"

"Is this the same boy who disobeyed his mom and jumped off the swing?" asked Brennan.

"Yeah."

"Danny's wrong," she told Parker. "At your age boys and girls usually don't like to play with each other."

"Yeah," Parker agreed. "Danny also says that there's no such thing as boys and girls being friends out of work. He says that they have to like each other a lot, like _marrying _kind of like."

Brennan really did not like this Danny kid. "Parker, you shouldn't listen to what Danny tells you. He doesn't know what he's talking about. What he said happens sometimes, but it's not always true."

Parker nodded and smiled. "I don't believe a lot of what Danny says. He gets in trouble a lot. Sometimes he says things that get our teacher mad."

Brennan could believe that, the kid sounded like a brat.

"He says that my friend Kevin is a rat bastard because Kevin wouldn't give Danny his Hot Wheels car that Kevin got for his birthday."

Brennan looked startled. "Um, Parker, don't say 'rat bastard' again. Danny shouldn't have said that. The 'b' word is very bad."

"Oh, okay, I won't," and the child kept swinging.

_I'm going to have to talk to Booth about this Danny kid,_ Brennan thought.

Parker slowed down his swinging, dragging his sneakers against the dirt to stop. "I'm done swinging. Can I go on the monkey bars?"

"Go ahead."

Parker ran over to the monkey bars. _He practically is a monkey,_ Brennan said to herself as he jumped off the edge of the ladder to grab the first bar. He got to the end of the bars and let go, dropping to the ground.

"Ow!" he yelped and grabbed his ankle, sitting down.

Brennan rushed over to him and knelt down. "You okay?"

"I landed funny," he said, holding the ankle.

"Can I see?" Brennan asked. He nodded and she pushed back his pant leg and pushed down the sock. "Does this hurt?" she gently put pressure on an area of the ankle.

"Not really."

"How about this?"

"No."

She pulled his sock back up and his pant leg back down. "I think you just twisted it a little when you landed. It's not broken."

Parker grinned. "Daddy's right, you are smart," she smiled back. "Thank you, Tempie."

"Any time," she stood up and offered him a hand to help him stand carefully. "You want a piggy back on the way home?"

"Yes please!"

She helped him climb on her back and he held on around her neck as she walked back to her apartment.

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** I might have one or two more chapters after this one. I'm not entirely sure yet though.**

**I hope you're enjoying the story.**

**I also hope you leave a review!**


	5. Too Easy

**Here's the final chapter! **

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"How's the ankle?" Brennan asked Parker who sat on the couch with an icepack and Play Station controller.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," he said, taking the icepack off.

"That's good," Brennan took the icepack from him and went to put it back in the freezer. "Would you like to hear tonight's dinner options?"

Parker paused his game and turned to look at her. "'Kay."

_Polite, good manners,_ Brennan thought. _Booth must be a very good father. _"Here are the choices: we could have pizza again, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, pasta, or sandwiches."

"Could we have macaroni and cheese please?" Parker asked.

Brennan laughed, _just like his dad. _"Of course, and we can watch _The Incredibles _tonight as well."

"Yay!" Parker said. "Do you want to play Play Station with me?"

"I think I'll just watch then go start dinner," Brennan said as she sat down next to him and playfully pinched his nose. "Besides, you beat me every time."

"I could let you win one if you want," Parker offered with an innocent smile.

Brennan laughed and shook her head. "Oh you are a little gentleman, aren't you?"

"Daddy says it's good to be a gentleman around nice and pretty ladies," Parker said.

Brennan continued to laugh. "I bet he did, and he's taught you well." She got up. "I'll go start the macaroni and cheese."

--------------------

The phone started to ring, Brennan put down the box of pasta to answer.

"Brennan."

"It's me."

"Hi Booth," she balanced the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could continue making dinner.

"How's it going?" Booth asked.

"Good," Brennan said. "We made pancakes for breakfast, which took up a large chunk of the morning.

Booth chuckled. "He loves pancakes. I hope he helped clean up."

"He offered to," said Brennan, "I let him wash his own plate, but then I cleaned up the rest. I let him play his Play Station."

"Spoiling my kid, Bones? Pizza and a movie for dinner last night, pancakes for breakfast this morning…"

"Please," Brennan scoffed. "I think I'd have to try extra hard to spoil him. He's such a good kid."

"Thanks," Booth said proudly. "I know Rebecca does well with him, and I try to teach him how to be a gentleman."

"He's got that down very well," Brennan laughed. "Just like his dad."

"You think I'm a gentleman?" Booth sounded mildly surprised. "Well thanks, Bones."

"When you need to be one," she teased. "Parker, however, is a constant gentleman."

"Ouch, Bones, wounding my pride."

"You'll live," Brennan grinned as she poured the pasta into the boiling pot. "Your gentleman efforts tend to mix with your-"

"-alpha male tendencies," Booth interrupted. "Yeah, I've heard. Anyway, before you strip me entirely of my pride, I want to confirm that picking up Parker at ten is okay."

"Its fine, Booth," said Brennan. "We'll probably be sleeping, so I'll leave a key under the mat for you."

"Thanks again, Bones."

"No problem."

Booth sighed. "I got to go, say hi to Parker for me."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

Brennan hung up the phone and went to check on Parker as the macaroni boiled. "Your dad says hi. He's coming to get you tonight."

"Tonight?" Parker asked, looking slightly disappointed. "Can't he stay for a while too?"

"It would be okay with me," she explained, "but he's getting you late, probably when we're sleeping."

"Oh," Parker said, still with a frown. "Okay."

"Dinner will be ready soon though," Brennan reminded him.

He perked up a little. "I'll get the movie ready."

"Sounds good."

Brennan never would have thought that should would spend two consecutive evening sitting on a couch eating dinner whilst watching a movie with a five-year-old boy, and enjoying it. Like his father's, Brennan found that she actually did like his company, and that doing things that normally she would not have done can be rather fun, like watching animated movies. She gently brushed back Parker's blond hair with her fingers as his head lay again in her lap.

"That's my favorite movie," Parker said through a yawn as the credit music started. "Did you like it?"

"I did," Brennan smiled down at him. "It was very good."

Parker smiled lazily and sat himself up, rubbing his eyes. "What superpower would you want to have if you were a superhero?"

Brennan considered for a moment. "I don't know, there are a few good ones. Having the ability to fly would be fun, or to turn invisible like Violet."

"I'd want to be fast like Dash!" Parker said jumping off of the couch. "He's cool. And I could help you and Daddy chase down the bad guys!"

"That you could," agreed Brennan. "Why don't you go put on your pajamas while I put our bowls in the dishwasher."

Parker skipped off and Brennan smiled slightly. She put their two empty bowls in the dishwasher and then turned off the television.

She put on her favorite FBI t-shirt and sweatpants. Brennan was just about to go check in on Parker when he walked into her bedroom in his pajamas, holding his stuffed dog.

"Can I stay in here with you again, please?" he asked. ""I don't wanna have another nightmare, and you're nice and safe."

_I can't say 'no' just because Booth's coming,_ Brennan thought, _Booth will find him._

"Sure," she said, patting the big bed. "Hop on."

'Hop' he did as he jumped onto the bed with a running start. Brennan grinned at him and tucked him under the covers before crawling next to him.

"Comfortable?" she asked.

"Yep," he mumbled sleepily. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Parker," she said. "Good night.

"'Night."

--------------------

It was almost eleven o'clock and a disgruntled and tired Booth parked his SUV outside Brennan's apartment. He felt bad going in and waking her up now, but he couldn't help the fact that his flight had been slightly delayed.

Booth found the key under the mat where she said she would put it. he quietly as he could opened and closed the door and yet still managed to trip over the threshold with a loud "thump!"

He soundlessly (for the most part) made his was over to the guest bedroom and was confused to find that Parker was not in there. Puzzled, he wandered over to his partner's room and silently pushed open the door.

Illuminated by the moonlight through the window, Booth was able to make out the sleeping form of Brennan and his son who was curled up next to her. This sight made him want to wake up his son even less than he already did. Booth reluctantly approached the bed and carefully reached over to touch Parker's arm.

"Hey, Park," he whispered. "Wake up, buddy, it's time to go."

Parker made a small noise of protest and turned over to face away from Booth, cuddling closer to Brennan whose eyes now opened.

"Booth?" she asked quietly.

"Sorry, Bones," Booth apologized. "I really didn't want to wake you."

"No, it's alright," she said. She gently shook Parker. "Hey, Parker, your dad's here."

"I don't wanna go," Parker mumbled. "I don't have bad dreams here."

"Bud," Booth sighed, "we have to go so we can let Dr. Brennan sleep."

"I wanna stay with Tempie," Parker protested. "You stay too, Daddy."

Booth flushed slightly and was thankful for the darkness. "I can't do that, Parker."

"Why? It's a big bed and I want to stay with both of you. Please? Just tonight? You keep the nightmares away."

"It's okay, Booth," Brennan said quietly. "You can stay, for Parker. I don't mind. There's enough room."

Booth hesitated. "Bones… I- are you sure?"

"It's fine, Booth," she reassured. "I don't want him to have another nightmare, so if this helps, then I'm fine with it."

"Pleeeeeease, Daddy?"

Defeated, Booth let out another sigh. "Okay, you win Parker." He kicked off his shoes, grateful that he was in a t-shirt and comfortable jeans and not in a suit. He slowly got on to her bed. "Thanks, Bones."

"It's nothing."

_Yeah, nothing,_ Booth tried to convince himself. _Get over it, it's not that awkward. It's for your son. Besides, it's not like it's the first time you've shared a bed… grant it the other time was undercover work in Vegas in a hotel… but still…_

Booth let out a quiet breath as he lay back onto a pillow. Parker, who was snuggled into Brennan's side, grabbed his arm gently, attempting to pull him closer. Booth cautiously rolled over closer so that he was nearer to Parker, meaning that he was now about five inches away from his partner.

"G'night Daddy, g'night Tempie," Parker said and settled back to sleep.

"'Night," the two adults said.

Booth looked at Brennan and tried to give her a grateful smile.

"You can relax, Booth," she whispered. "It's fine, _really_. We're best friends and he's your son."

"Thank you," he whispered back. "I owe you one."

"You can make me breakfast," she smiled.

Booth smiled back. "Done."

He watched until she drifted asleep before allowing himself to do the same.

--------------------

Lying on her stomach, Brennan awoke the next morning so very comfortable, so very warm and so very… not alone. She blinked her eyes open and saw the clock that read 9:40. Turning her head, she came face-to-face with none other than Seeley Booth, whose arm was lazily draped over her lower back, and one of her legs tangled with his. there was no more space between them, the little barrier, by the looks of it, had gotten up a few hours before them and had gone to watch some morning cartoons. Brennan debated for a moment either getting up or waking him up. Neither option, however, at the moment seemed favorable. So was too relaxed and too comfortable to care. So instead, she decided to experiment, or have a little fun.

She shifted as carefully as she could so that she was on her side facing him, and not rolling completely on top of him, which proved to be somewhat difficult. Arms bent, she hesitantly lay them on his chest before allowing herself to relax a little more when his grip around her waist slightly tightened. Brennan smiled to herself and let her head down so it rested partially between Booth's neck and on his chest by her hands. She was too tired to care that this was less 'partner' behavior and more 'very very close friend' behavior.

Parker's voice saying _Daddy likes you_ drifted though Brennan's mind. Opening her eyes again, she glanced up at Booth, still fast asleep. She remembered Parker's story, _yeah, bud, like Bones. _Was there more to read into? She cautiously scooted herself up so her face was for the most part level with Booth's. _It's just experimenting, right?_

Nervously, she bit her lip, _just an experiment._ Ever so slowly, she brought her face close to his, pausing for a moment, eyes flickering form his lips to his closed eyes. Still at an agonizingly slow pace, she closed the rest of the distance between them, lightly brushing her lips against his, feeling a pleasant tingle spread up her back. She was about to pull away and gasped when she felt Booth suddenly pull her closer to him.

"Trying to take advantage of me while I sleep?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow, but smiling.

Brennan avoided his gaze sheepishly. "I- I was just experimenting," she started to ramble. "Parker told me a story of you reading him _Cinderella_… you said what you- and Parker said- but you- I just thought I'd-"

"-Bones!" Booth interrupted. She stopped and looked at him. "Stop talking and relax." Brennan exhaled. "Good. Now, can I have a turn experimenting?"

Brennan nodded, eyes widening when he brought one of his hands behind her neck and resumed the position Brennan had instigated earlier. She gave in, leaning into him, but he kept the pressure light, and grinned against her lips. After a few seconds he very reluctantly pulled away.

"So, Doctor," he said quietly, "any thoughts or conclusions?"

She smiled shyly at him. "Well, Agent Booth, I'd have to say my findings are positive. I've concluded that this is not a bad way to spend the morning, nor is it a bad thing to wake up to."

"I concur," Booth said, still grinning. "Hey, is that my shirt?"

"No," she said, a little more confidently. "This _was _you shirt. Now it's my shirt."

Booth shrugged. "Looks better on you anyway."

Brennan snuggled her head into the crook of his neck, breathing deeply and his arm wrapped around her. "So how long where you awake?"

Booth chuckled. "A few minutes before you started _experimenting_."

She hit him teasingly. "That's not fair."

"I could feel you contemplating, I didn't want to interrupt your train of thought."

"You can't _feel_ someone contemplating," Brenna rolled her eyes.

"You I know you," Booth said.

"Apparently."

"Um, excuse me?"

Booth and Brennan broke apart and sat up. Parker stood at the doorway looking over at them.

"Yeah, bud?" Booth asked, trying to appear like nothing had happened.

Parker smiled innocently. "When you guys are done, could we make breakfast?"

Brennan and Booth stared at the boy. "Yeah, we'll be right out."

Parker walked out of the room and Brennan leaned against Booth. "Well that was interesting."

Booth laughed. "Don't worry about it. He really likes you; otherwise he wouldn't have asked to stay. I don't know how to repay you for all of this."

Brennan grinned at him mischievously. "You can pay me back later tonight."

Booth gaped at her. "I like you," he finally managed to say.

"Well that's good, because I kind of like you too."

Booth laughed again. "What a coincidence," he kissed her forehead. "Let's get up and make breakfast."

"Together?"

"Yeah."

Brennan smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth before rolling out of bed. "Okay."

--------------------

The little five-year-old boy stood outside the door listening. He grinned and looked down at his stuffed animal dog and walked back over to the couch.

"You see, Padfoot," Parker said to the dog, "it was too easy!"

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**I hope you all enjoyed this final chapter! I had a great time writing it and I really appreciate all the reviews that I've gotten. **

**Thanks again, and keep an eye out for my other stories!**


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